VS  c  K{XX\k>w)  X  b 


A  FIVE-YEAR 
PROG  RAM 

ADOPTED  BY  THE 

NORTHERN  BAPTIST 
CONVENTION 

AT 

Los  Angeles,  California 
May  24,  1915 


cfHtssionar{j  Campaign 

- OF  THE - 

NORTHERN  BAPTIST  CONVENTION 


D 


'DI 


A  Five  -year  Program 
□111 - = 


w 


THIS  hour  in  human 
history  is  critical, 
challenging,  decisive. 
No  Church  or  de¬ 
nomination  can  suc¬ 
ceed  if  its  message 
and  spirit  are  not 
positive,  aggressive, 
courageous,  heroic.  We  have  a  sufficient 
message  in  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom,  a 
sufficient  dynamic  in  the  Spirit  of  God. 
We  need  spiritual  vision,  conquering  inter¬ 
cession,  evangelistic  power  and  social 
passion. 

The  call  of  the  hour  is  for  a  constructive, 
cumulative  program  of  advance  so  large 
and  so  compelling  as  to  arrest  attention, 
unify  our  forces  and  activities,  challenge 
our  men  of  large  resources  and  stir  our 
whole  people  with  a  splendid  enthusiasm 
for  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

The  objective  of  this  program  should  be 
the  development  of  every  Church  into  an 
evangelistic  and  social  force  in  its  com¬ 
munity  and  a  resultant  mighty  impact  of 
our  denominational  life  upon  the  nation 
and  the  world. 


We  therefore  recommend  a  five-year  pro¬ 
gram  of  aggressive  spiritual  activity 
with  these  practical  goals: 

1.  A  million  additions  to  our 

Churches  by  baptism. 

2.  A  missionary  force  of  5,000  men  and 

women  in  America  and  the  non- 
Christian  world. 

3.  Two  million  dollars  of  endowment  for 

the  Ministers  and  Missionaries  Benefit 
Board. 

4.  Six  million  dollars  for  additional  educa¬ 

tional  endowment  and  equipment  at 
home  and  abroad. 

5.  An  annual  income  of  six  million  dollars 

for  missions  and  benevolence. 


The  methods  recommended  for  the  accom¬ 
plishment  of  this  high  aim  are: 

1.  A  persistent,  pervasive  Evangelism — 

personal,  pastoral  and  vocational. 

2.  The  systematic  and  proportionate  giv¬ 

ing  of  not  less  than  one-tenth  of  the 
income,  with  larger  giving  by  those 
of  large  resources. 

3.  The  Annual  Every  Member  Canvass 

for  weekly  giving  and  spiritual  effi¬ 
ciency. 

4.  An  increasing  emphasis  on  education — 

Biblical,  missionary  and  scholastic. 

5.  The  development  of  every  Church  in 

social  service. 

6.  Prevailing  prayer — personal,  public  and 

social. 


Notes 


1.  Put  Evangelism  first.  Magnify  the  Gospel. 
Exalt  the  Christ.  First  make  men  Christian,  then 
efficiently  Christian. 

2.  Let  us  not  spend  time  discussing  the  basis  of 
tithing,  but  devote  ourselves  to  the  task  of  getting 
every  possible  member  of  every  Church  to  accept  as 
a  reasonable  proposition  “at  least  one-tenth  of  the 
income’’  for  Christian  work. 

3.  There  is  abundant  literature  available  on  the 
Every  Member  Canvass.  Send  for  samples. 

4.  All  are  agreed  that  the  educational  process  is 
essential  to  permanent  success.  Plan  for  a  better 
Bible  School.  Adopt  the  Ten  Point  Standard  of  mis¬ 
sionary  education.  Watch  out  for  fine  young  men 
and  women  who  ought  to  take  a  college  course. 

5.  Every  Church  should  be  a  community  force  for 
social  righteousness.  Send  for  literature. 

6.  Plan  for  much  prayer.  Form  prayer  groups. 
Prayer  is  the  supreme  essential  of  success. 


Correspondence 

Concerning  the  Ministers  and  Missionaries  Benefit 
Board,  address  its  Secretary,  Everett  T.  Tomlinson, 
23  East  26th  Street,  New  York. 

Write  Frank  W.  Padelford,  Ford  Building,  Boston, 
Mass.,  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education,  about 
matters  relating  to  general  education. 

For  Social  Service  literature  and  other  help,  ad¬ 
dress  Samuel  Zane  Batten,  1701  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  secretap’  of  the  Social  Service 
Commission  and  the  Baptist  Brotherhood. 

On  questions  of  general  religious  education  cor¬ 
respond  with  W.  E.  Chalmers,  1701  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  educational  secretary  of  the  Ameri¬ 
can  Baptist  Publication  Society. 

For  help  on  the  Every  Member  Canvass  and  Mis¬ 
sionary  Education  and  for  information  concerning  the 
FIVE-YEAR  PROGRAM,  address  John  M.  Moore, 
23  East  26th  Street,  New  York,  secretary  of  the 
Department  of  Missionary  Education  and  the  United 
Missionary  Campaign. 


